The Desautels Accounting Society (DAS), is hosting a CPA vs. CFA Conference on November 12th from 5:00 – 8:00pm in which students will have the unique opportunity to “learn and connect from professionals of varying backgrounds” about the CPA and CFA designations. DAS will provide students with presentations about the two CPA and CFA designations and how to get them. In addition, the conference boasts an hour-long panel of six speakers and then students will have the chance to speak to them directly. The conference will be hosted in the McGill Faculty Club.
In a story post about the event, Colman Jokitalo, a DAS project manager, says that there will be “representatives from different firms across Montreal.” DAS will presumably be drawing on their vast partnership with firms and companies like Deloitte, PWC, EY, and KPMG just to name a few. The event has been meticulously planned by the DAS Exec team made up of twelve McGill students. In an instagram post on October 22nd, the DAS team outlined the night’s schedule. Attendees should arrive at 5pm for introductory presentations on the two designations. From there, the mentioned hour-long professional panel will take place. At 7pm, attendees will be free to mingle with the panel experts, the DAS team, and other company representatives. And of course, free drinks and snacks will be offered throughout the entirety of the night, a reason alone to come!
The CPA (Certified Public Accountant) and CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) are both esteemed designations, but they cater to different career paths. CPAs focus on accounting, auditing, and tax, requiring a bachelor’s degree, specific coursework, and passing a four-part exam. In contrast, CFAs specialize in investment management and financial analysis, allowing candidates from any background to pursue the three-level exam. Career-wise, CPAs often work in public accounting or corporate roles while CFAs typically find roles in investment banking or portfolio management. Currently, in Canada, there are about 21,000 CFA holders and 217,000 accountants (CPA holders).
DAS, which was founded in 2014, operates under the McGill Management Undergraduate Society (MUS) and is the only accounting club at McGill. The society is also one of the largest student run clubs at McGill. DAS aims to support students in their accounting and finance journeys at McGill through various initiatives, networking opportunities, and events designed for students. Officially, their “goal is that all accounting students are successfully recruited at the firm of their choice” through their liaison capabilities with accounting firms.
The conference on November 12th is not the only event and initiative that DAS offers. Currently, on their Instagram, DAS is producing a weekly “Speaker Series” that is presented by prominent accounting firms Deloitte, KPMG, MNP, PWC, and Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton. Each week representatives from these companies will take on common questions in the accounting world and offer advice to McGill students. The society has also hosted an impressive twelve events in the month of September 2024 all focused on lifting up and aiding McGill students in their career paths.
When speaking with members of the DAS executive team, executives reflected on the upcoming CPA vs. CFA Conference and the club as a whole. When asked about the event specifically, Christina Schleifer, the VP of Communications for DAS and the Executive Director of the Bull and Bear, said “It’s a great opportunity to get to hear from actual industry professionals who hold different designations. As a student, networking opportunities and seeking career advice are often daunting and hard to come by, so students should definitely take advantage of this opportunity.” When asked about what it is like to be able to work with industry companies and representative, Armaan Pardhan, the Junior VP of Recruitment, said “Working directly with some of the largest accounting firms in the country has allowed me to develop my professional skills to the point where I can confidently say that I am a better student, employee, and person. Not only that, but DAS has allowed me to connect with some of the brightest individuals within the industry who are now always eager to support me in any way possible.”
It seems that DAS understands what it is like to be an undergraduate student; facing a reality of not knowing what they want to be, do, or how they will participate in the world around them. But through all this, DAS understands that McGill students have incredible opportunities and wants to open doors for them. When asked to reflect on DAS, Colman Jokitalo, an executive at DAS, said, “My favorite joke to say is that I’m in third year and I still have no idea what I want to be when I grow up! Making that kind of decision is hard, so that’s why we’re really excited about using our connections to extend the CPA only conference to include CFAs. We hope to educate students on their options and help give them a blueprint on how to go about that choice.”
The CPA vs. CFA Conference will be held at the McGill Faculty Club on November 12th from 5:00 – 8:00pm. You can register for the CPA and CFA Conference here.
You can also find other information about the club here and can follow them on Instagram, Linkedin, and can check out their website too.
